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Thursday, December 29, 2016

Sydney Harbour - Opera House and Bridge. We're anchored right here!Who knew five years ago , dreaming in Everett Washington, this was where we'd spend our 2017 New Year's Eve?

Surely everyone has a few moments in their lives that feel more surreal than real, as though you can hear and feel an old-fashioned movie camera, noisily whirring away in the background, to record the image for eternity.

Stepping out of the train station in Venice, Italy marked one of those larger-than-life moments for me. Otherwise how could I possibly in one split-second transport myself from a mundane train station into a gloriously decaying and yet justly romanticized masterpiece of European civilization -- a picture post-card, a miasma of ancient canals, bridges, and crumbling churches?

And here we are - 4 1/2 years and 30 countries later, in our humble yet reliable 1977 36 1/2 foot Pearson sailboat, s/v Journey, anchored less than a mile from the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. We've staked out our spot for Sydney's epic New Year's Eve fireworks.

What an epic way to end our travels on Journey! And still, as real as it is, it's still somewhat unbelievable that we're here. Let the fireworks begin!

Location Location

Sydney Harbour's Farm Cove (S33.51.571 E151.13.187) Australia.

Up NextStill lots of catch-up posts to go. We return to Pittwater January 4th to resume preparing our boat for sale. We'll travel Australia by van (and blog about that, too!) for several months once our boat is ready to show.

What would you expect from a couple of cruisers anchored for free on the Gold Coast section derisively known as "Bum's Bay," but to escape the cityscape in search of free stuff to do? Who then were we to resist checking out the real place referred to as Australia's Hinterlands? Chris and Chris of Scintilla, who we wandered Fraser Island with, were of like mind.... And car rentals cost half as much when you split the fee.We got off to a better-than-expected start in our pursuit of frugal fun. We were willing to pay the few extra bucks to rent a car from East Coast Car Rentals because unlike other Gold Coast car rental companies, they were willing to pick us up for the rental and drop us off after its return.

Our lucky day - the manager asked if we posted on Facebook ("Yes! And I do a travel blog!" I offered up) and gave us a FeeBee. Free. Their bumblebee billboard on wheels, which was a pretty sweet deal. They even threw in the insurance - all we paid was to replenish the fuel we used driving.

Bird-feeding time at O'Reilly's, Lamington National Park,Hinterlands, QLD, Australia.

The tricky bit about exploring the Hinterlands is that if you want to check out several places, you'll quickly find there are no shortcuts. The area is mountainous, and the roads through the Hinterlands are more like fingers joined only at the palm. Thus, if time is limited, despite the see-it-in-a-day driving guide, you'll find need to narrow down what you want to see. We settled on O'Reilly's TreeTop walk first, in the Green Mountain portion of Lamington National Park*. By the time we arrived, after a brief break for a bite, and a turnoff for a lookout point just outside the park, it was late morning. *Lamington Park is a collection of sites, and yet another Unesco World Heritage site, part of Gonwanda Rainforests of Australia.

Serendipitously, we'd arrived during bird feeding time. We got a kick out of watching oodles of colorful parroty birds eat and land on visitors heads, arms, and shoulders. After one bird settled on Wayne's shoulder, he tried to woo one atop his head, placing bird seed there. No luck. Seems a bird on the shoulder is better than none one head. More fortunately, the bird left no "calling card" behind. And as much as we got a kick out of the little boy who happily encouraged the birds to land on his bare arms, we also hope he did a good job making sure if he got any cuts, he disinfected them well. We noticed he did get some scrapes and understand the birds carry a lot of infection that can cause issues.

We also checked out O'Reilly's an impressive full-sized Stinson plane replica, in honor of a family member who rescued two plane crash survivors. The original plane, which crashed in the area, was missing for 10 days before Bernard O'Reilly found it. Once he did, he returned the next morning with a doctor to treat and transport the remaining survivors for recovery. Five didn't survive; four died on impact, and one due to exposure during his attempt to seek help for the other two.

Just a stone's throw from the bird feeding area, the Booyang Walk, which leads to the TreeTop walk was easily visible. Placards describe the unique subtropical birds and trees. There's a strong sense of other worldliness amidst these ancient giants, further enhanced by the day's gray skies. It's east to imagine being alternately enchanted or haunted by creatures amidst the mists of this ancient forest.

Wonga vine, assertively twisting its way to the sunlight.Lamington Natl. Park, QLD, Australia.

At the same time, it's a nature's playground for all ages.... Squat down and climb inside the cave-like inside of a bygone giant stranger fig and look up at the sunlight seeping through openings in the trunk. Determine your level of acrophobia as you sway your way across the high, tree-top suspension bridges. Or again, along with testing your sense of claustrophobia as you shimmy up the cage-enclosed metal ladder to check out the tree-top lookout.

Alas, due to the overcast, and "can't see the forest for the trees," the treetop lookout view was not that outstanding, though oddly worth it simply for the experience. It harkened back fond childhood memories of the tall treehouse my Dad built in our Sacramento, California backyard, amidst the ancient oaks, peering out over the meadows beyond our fence line.

Chris, one one of several suspension bridges, O'Reilly's Tree Top trail.Lamington Natl. Park, QLD, Hinterlands, Oz.

Beyond the Booyang Walk, we followed the signs to the Mountain Garden. We hadn't heard about it in our prior research. A volunteer supported orchid garden, we wandered its twisty paths, enjoying its variety of flowers, and its magnificent ferns. The biggest treat was the mama skink, tending to her babies, speckled like fawns. The same kids we enjoyed feeding the birds quietly pointed us to them.After a picnic lunch which drove home the point the birds don't read the park's "Don't feed the birds" sign, we figured we had just a few more hours of daylight left before we wanted to be off Hinterland's narrow, twisty roads. We figured we could slip in a short hike at Mt. Tamborine Park,and headed that way.What trip to the Hinterlands would be complete without seeing a kangaroo in the wild? On the way to Mt. Tamborine, Wayne spotted a wallaby -- a small kangaroo -- at the fringe of the road. It cooperated just long enough to stay in sight for the rest of us, after we u-turned to check it out.We selected Mt. Tamborine's Cedar Creek trail, a short hike with a pleasant series of waterfalls. After all the hustle and bustle tourism of Gold Coast, it was nice to stop at a spot that was clearly a local hang-out. There's a real sweetness to watching families cool off together on a hot afternoon, swimming in pools by the falls. We much prefer that to the mega-bucks family attractions in Gold Coast, through they have their place.

Our take-away.... The Hinterlands is far more than a middle-of-no-where reference. It's a real place, worth far more time than the one-day blitz we gave it. In an ideal world, visit it for a week or so, camping and hiking and immersing yourself in its exotic tapestry of birdsong and fecund jungle. It takes time to appreciate the wonders spread out across it's one-of-a-kind terrain. Still, we're grateful we got to see what we did of the Hinterlands.

One among the many blooms at Lamington National Park's Mountain Gardens. LQD Australia.

Considering how much we enjoyed the Hinterlands, guess that means Timbuktu is on our bucket list. Then again, we've no plans to visit Africa, which as it currently stands, is unlikely to fit our paltry travel budget.

Wallaby - a smaller member of the kangaroo family, Seen in the wilds of Australia's Hinterlands.

Location LocationThis is a recent retrospective of our time, December 5-11, 2016 in Marine Stadium (aka "Bum's Bay"), Gold Coast, Queensland Australia (S27.56.790 E153.25.424). We're in Pittwater, New South Wales, Australia (S33.39.433 E151.18.051), an hour's drive and four hour's sail from Sydney -- or so we're told.

No wonder turkey isn't as popular in Australia! These wild ones run rampant in Queensland. We've seen better-looking vultures.

Cruising By the Numbers

Our November 2016 sail from New Caledonia to Australia, 790 miles

Our September 2016 sail from Vanuatu to New Caledonia, 305 miles.

Our August 2016 sail from Fiji to Vanuatu, 525 miles.

We cruised just under 440 miles in Fiji, between late May and early August.

Our May 2016 sail from New Zealand to Fiji, 1090 miles.

December 2015 - May 2016 if we weren't cruising New Zealand or hunkering, we were making massive road trips from New Zealand's tip to its tail.

From December 2014 - November 2015 we sailed from Northern Florida's Atlantic side to New Zealand, over 10,000 miles, with more than a few stops in between.

December 2013 - May 2014 we sailed 1792 miles from Jacksonville Florida to the Bahamas and back.

March 2012 we bought Journey in St. Lucia. September 2012 we moved aboard, did some boat work, then sailed her to Jacksonville Florida by June 2013, 3762 miles

Up NextWe'll spend a few weeks here in Pittwater, near Sydney, for pre-sale boat work. We plan escape briefly to see New Year's Eve fireworks from Sydney Harbour. We've also got our eye on a used van, converted for camping, to explore Australia. There will continue to be catch-up posts, streamlining of the blog, short video clips to add, and road trip posts.

Gum trees are not the rare province of farm borders or the odd stretch of monarch-flocked coastline, their massive elongated trunks and comparatively sparse foliate seem reminiscent of Salvador Dali's clock. Their invigorating sharper-than-pine scent floats by, mingling with the fruity-sweet perfume of frangipani, gardenia and jasmine.

Santas still wander about with luxuriant white beards (mostly in retail-land) and white-trimmed red felt hats, though are as likely to be depicted in sunglasses carrying a surf board and a tinny (that's a beer, here).

Instead of bells, cicadas metallic rattling mating call and all manner of new-to-me birdsong provides the soundscape. Kookabarras do indeed appear to cackle with laughter.

Instead of a Christmas tree, strung with lights, we enjoyed seaweed with snails for our holiday decor today in Australia.

With no friends* or family nearby, and home -- "the other" Vancouver (Washington State, USA, across the river from Portland OR)cloaked in snow most of the past two weeks, we decided to hit Birdies, the no tan lines beach here in the land of Oz, where December is mid-summer.

*Our cruising friends here in Oz mostly headed to Sydney before us -- we're heading there for New Year's eve.

We wanted to catch a movie, another Christmas tradition for us, but here in Australia that's not an option. It is on "Boxing Day" -- December 26th. We'd do that tomorrow.

Christmas day at Birdie Beach, New South Wales, near Sydney, Australia.

After the beach, we planned on another Christmas tradition -- eating out in a Chinese restaurant -- about all that's normally open (in the USA) on Christmas. Not here though. We spent about an hour driving around hunting for an open Chinese -- or any - restaurant.

We opted out of a non-gluten free "death disk" from Dominoes.

We also passed up the gas station convenience store fare....

Finally, we stopped at a Oporto in Dee Why -- a surprisingly good Portuguese fast food franchise. We ate chili grilled chicken with spicy rice, roasted corn and salsa. That and a soda only set us back $33 AUD (around $24 USD) with enough leftovers for another meal for two. We rarely eat out, but I'd definitely go for Oporto again!

That's how we spend our not incredibly exciting, but pleasantly different Christmas Day here in the land of Oz.

Wishing you

a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah

or whatever you celebrate

this holiday season -

however you spend it!

Our neighbors in Pittwater, Christmas Day, after their morning swim.

Location Location

We're in Pittwater, New South Wales, Australia (S33.39.433 E151.18.051), an hour's drive and four hour's sail from Sydney -- or so we're told.

Cruising By the Numbers

Our November 2016 sail from New Caledonia to Australia, 790 miles

Our September 2016 sail from Vanuatu to New Caledonia, 305 miles.

Our August 2016 sail from Fiji to Vanuatu, 525 miles.

We cruised just under 440 miles in Fiji, between late May and early August.

Our May 2016 sail from New Zealand to Fiji, 1090 miles.

December 2015 - May 2016 if we weren't cruising New Zealand or hunkering, we were making massive road trips from New Zealand's tip to its tail.

From December 2014 - November 2015 we sailed from Northern Florida's Atlantic side to New Zealand, over 10,000 miles, with more than a few stops in between.

December 2013 - May 2014 we sailed 1792 miles from Jacksonville Florida to the Bahamas and back.

March 2012 we bought Journey in St. Lucia. September 2012 we moved aboard, did some boat work, then sailed herto Jacksonville Florida by June 2013, 3762 miles.

Up Next

We'll spend a few weeks here in Pittwater, near Sydney, for pre-sale boat work. We plan escape briefly to see New Year's Eve fireworks from Sydney Harbour. We've also got our eye on a used van, converted for camping, to explore Australia. There will continue to be catch-up posts, streamlining of the blog, short video clips to add, and road trip posts.

“Laurieton’s well protected, a nice town and not at far as Port Stephens,” Pete explained, regarding Camden Haven, a potentially viable next stop. Camden Haven was 83 miles from our current location.We were in Coffs Harbour, aboard a trio of sailboats*, musing about our passage down to the Pittwater / Sydney area. We’d tucked into Coffs for shelter from points further North – Gold Coast in our and Peter’s case. *Ozzie sailors Pete and Trevor on Palmyra, John and Andrea aboard Christine.

Trevor, s/v Palmyra’s crew, pulling alongside Journey in Laurieton.

A series of strong winds (20-30+ knots), sometimes moving in the direction we wanted, sometimes opposite prevailed; more were forecast. Aiming for lighter winds, we were taking the passage more cautiously, breaking it into overnighters, rather than one longer multi-day trip.Pete gave Wayne a long perusal of his chart book, showing the path past the bar, into Camden Haven. The description was pretty benign. We all decided to head out at 2 am, timing our arrival to beat the forecast upsurge in winds, and making it into Camden Haven before dark.Away we all went, waking up the poor local Volunteer Marine Rescue (VMR*) guy when we “logged in” at 2 am, reporting our departure and planned arrival details.*Watch for more about VMR in a future post.Winds were not too high, and both the wind and the Eastern Australian current, worked together in our favor, granting us a relatively fast passage (we averaged nearly 6 knots for the duration). We arrived at the bar entrance right about when we planned to, though the winds were just starting to pick up a bit more.

“You might find it a wee bit rumbly when you come, but you’ll be alright” dryly quipped Michael, the VMR radio controller on duty for Camden Haven.

Camden Haven’s narrow bar and shallow spots as seen at a calm time, at high tide.

As we approached the bar’s narrow entrance, the waves were robust. The waves were so robust, we were surfing them at 12 knots – our boat’s maximum hull speed is 7.1 knots! Wayne de-powered to slow down. That tactic backfired, alarmingly! We broached! Losing rudder control, we got pitched sideways – fast! For a sickening few seconds -- though it always seems longer in the moment – there was no control. Just as quickly, Wayne regained control.

In 18,000 or so miles we’ve travelled on Journey, we’ve only ever broached once before. It was in our first year of out, before we discovered for us it was folly to outrun a squall. The net result was several minutes out of control and a torn sail we were unable to repair for 400 miles.

The raked angle of this Camden Haven river buoygives an inkling of the current’s strength.

As we rode the current in, Wayne noticed the shallowest spots we’d ever travelled under -- 3.7 feet – without grounding. We are grateful for our relatively shallow draft, 4.3 feet (the depth reading we get are from below the waterline).

We’ve grounded a few times, the last over two years ago. They were soft and brief groundings, in mud or sand (not coral or rock or anything else damaging). No harm done. We did narrowly escape getting a fine for one, as it was in a protected portion of Florida’s intra-coastal waterway. An official zipped by in their boat shortly after we came free.

A few miles in, we arrived at and secured ourselves on one of the free mooring balls in front of Laurieton United Service Club. Whew!We learned… 5 Vital Lessons Regarding Camden Haven’s Bar

Don’t back off the engine on a wave. Too much speed is preferable to losing control of the rudder.

Avoid entering the bar at low tide. Exiting at high tide, we still saw depths low as 7 feet. As the sands shift, the chart depth data is not sufficiently accurate. Camden Haven is not a good option for deep draft boats.

Avoid entering the bar when the current is still running out, as it clashes with the waves, coming in.

If you do enter Camden Haven Bar in low tide, don’t do it in a low neap tide, like we did, occurring around a full moon, when tidal fluctuations.

Get some good local knowledge. Marine guidebooks do not necessarily offer these cautions! The one we looked at did not.

Andrea and John, of s/v Christie. John’s prodding kept us goingwhen the going was tough to North Brother Mountain summit.

It was only after-the-fact experience and local knowledge that taught us what we should have known up front. Camden Haven has been the site of some incidents; considering . If you plan to take Camden Bar, do check tide and current as well as wind and swell forecasts.Still, we’re glad we stopped at Laurieton. It’s well protected inside and free to stay (for a few days). It’s a sweet town, populated with incredibly nice folks.

Me, at Dooragan Park’s summit. Fortunately the cameradoesn’t show how sweaty I got hiking up.

You can hike*, kayak, beach walk, bird-watch, fish, provision, gamble, watch the dragon boaters practice, and catch a first run movie in a vintage theater. You can even purchase oysters from the oyster beds a stone’s throw away. Our weather-prolonged stay coincided with the 3rd Sunday market (6 am – noon), where I picked up some choice foodstuffs, like quince paste and spicy, gluten-free sausage. Best of all, Laurieton’s exceptionally yachtie-friendly, with free showers and free unlimited wifi through the Laurieton Services Club (after paying a fully refundable $50 AUD deposit for an access key). One of the locals offered us the use of his personal washing machine (which we did take him up on) and the use of his van (which we didn’t take him up on).

*There’s a somewhat brutal, but superbly worth it Dooragan National Park lookout point hike (which you can also drive to), as well as lots of flat walking trails along the rivers and lakes.

Kingfisher. Australia’s famed kookaburra is part of the Kingfisher family. Laurieton, Australia.

If you are lucky enough to nab a spot at Laurieton’s free visitors dock, rather than taking a mooring ball, go for the dock. Between the wind, the tide, the current and the way the balls are constructed, there’s a lot of hull scraping and thumping while attached to their mooring balls. We moved from a mooring ball to the dock when a spot opened up (there’s room for 2 boats). While we gave up some privacy for the move, the conveniences and break from the mooring ball hull thumping and scraping was worth it.

“Was it scary?” asked another town visitor, stopping by to check out the boats at Laurieton’s dock, after she found out we sailed to Australia from the US. “More boring than scary, most of the time,” I replied, adding the caveat, “One of my few scary moments, however, was coming in here!”

We spent five pleasant days in Laurieton, waiting for the right weather window to continue South. We planned our exit for the daylight high tide, knowing we’d fight the current on our way out, maximizing the odds of a daylight arrival into Pittwater, 156 miles away. This time, our bar crossing was a piece of cake. Resuming our speed as we escaped the bar’s counter-current, we still breathed a sigh of relief as we exited.

Exotic seed pods in a Dunbogan yard, the town across the river from Laurieton. New South Wales, Australia.

Location LocationWe were in Laurieton (S31.39.080 E152.48.094 mooring ball S31.39.034 E152.48.027 dock) December 15-19, 2016. This post was written on upon arrival in Pittwater, New South Wales, Australia (S33.39.433 E151.18.051).

Cruising By the Numbers

Our November 2016 sail from New Caledonia to Australia, 790 miles

Our September 2016 sail from Vanuatu to New Caledonia, 305 miles.

Our August 2016 sail from Fiji to Vanuatu, 525 miles.

We cruised just under 440 miles in Fiji, between late May and early August.

Our May 2016 sail from New Zealand to Fiji, 1090 miles.

December 2015 - May 2016 if we weren't cruising New Zealand or hunkering, we were making massive road trips from New Zealand's tip to its tail.

From December 2014 - November 2015 we sailed from Northern Florida's Atlantic side to New Zealand, over 10,000 miles, with more than a few stops in between.

December 2013 - May 2014 we sailed 1792 miles from Jacksonville Florida to the Bahamas and back.

March 2012 we bought Journey in St. Lucia. September 2012 we moved aboard, did some boat work, then sailed her to Jacksonville Florida by June 2013, 3762 miles.

Close up of orchid at Laurieton Sunday market. There were an abundance ofexotic bromeliads and even carnivorous plants there as well.

Up NextWe just arrived in Pittwater, near Sydney for pre-sale boat work. We plan to see New Year's Eve fireworks from Sydney Harbour, and to buy a used van, converted for camping to explore Australia. There will continue to be catch-up posts, streamlining of the blog, short video clips to add, and road trip posts.

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Little Laurieton isn't too small for a terrific vintage Plaza Theater. New South Wales, Australia.

As most of our cruising's in the middle of nowhere, and towns and cities often in 2nd and 3rd world countries, since December 2014, date-night movies out went from a monthly indulgence to a rare and treasured treat. Wayne and I share a special fondness for independent, vintage theaters.*

Imagine our delight to discover the vintage Plaza Theater, playing first-run and Sundance prize-winning films in lovely little Laurieton, a quaint fishing town in Northern New South Wales Australia, with a population of a mere 2,000 or so souls!Ok, admittedly, we did see two movies in Gold Coast (Queen of Katwe and Arrival, our first since Fiji's capital, Suva, May 2016), but that was in a big mall theater. Not the same. Also, in Gold Coast, when we asked if there was a military service discount, something regularly offered in USA and New Zealand movie theaters, we were told no. Not a big deal; just never hurts to ask -- generally it's about $2/off/ticket when we show our photo military identification. Imagine our surprise when we figured there would also be no discount at Plaza Theater, and instead were told, "Just go on in. Manager's rules." We stood, puzzled, wallets open, ready to pay, feeling a little embarrassed as we were literally waved in. We expected to pay something, especially for such a cool, small-town theater. I went back out and bought some jaffas, figuring there had to be some margin for the theater in them.Don't go Laurieton Plaza Theater because you might get a discount. Go because Plaza Theater's a lovingly restored -- and then some! -- heartbeat of a caring community. Heck, in a way it's even an early inspirational influence for "Moulin Rouge" creator "Baz" Luhrmann's career, still draws celebrities as well as tourists into Laurieton. Baz Luhrmann's dad was a projectionist back in the day, and today, the theater owner runs the projections himself.One other refreshing bonus: other than a few previews of upcoming movies, Laurieton Plaza Theater shows no commercials!

Small town or not, Laurieton's cinema's still full screen good sound, and first run movies. North New South Wales, Australia.

Honeymoon Beach movie night, St. Thomas. What's more classic than old movies on the beach, with a sheet for a screen strung between palm trees. Errr, image and sound quality was more than a mite better at Plaza Theater. Still, both great memories.

Location LocationWe are currently at Camden Haven (S31.30.080 E152.48.094), New South Wales territory, a tuck-in due to stronger winds than we like sailing in on our way to Pittwater. Please note - if you plan on cruising to Laurieton, watch for a future post regarding important safety information regarding entering Camden Haven!Cruising By the Numbers

Our November 2016 sail from New Caledonia to Australia, 790 miles

Our September 2016 sail from Vanuatu to New Caledonia, 305 miles.

Our August 2016 sail from Fiji to Vanuatu, 525 miles.

We cruised just under 440 miles in Fiji, between late May and early August.

Our May 2016 sail from New Zealand to Fiji, 1090 miles.

December 2015 - May 2016 if we weren't cruising New Zealand or hunkering, we were making massive road trips from New Zealand's tip to its tail.

From December 2014 - November 2015 we sailed from Northern Florida's Atlantic side to New Zealand, over 10,000 miles, with more than a few stops in between.

December 2013 - May 2014 we sailed 1792 miles from Jacksonville Florida to the Bahamas and back.

March 2012 we bought Journey in St. Lucia. September 2012 we moved aboard, did some boat work, then sailed her to Jacksonville Florida by June 2013, 3762 miles.

Up NextWe’re on our way to Pittwater, near Sydney for pre-sale boat work, ~122 nautical miles left. Weather may force us to stop along the way, though we're more likely to wait a little longer for a weather window to make it to Pittwater safely in one longer passage.